[Prev][Next][Index]

CSLI Calendar, 26 October 1989, vol. 5:6


       C S L I   C A L E N D A R   O F   P U B L I C   E V E N T S
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
26 October 1989                    Stanford                     Vol. 5, No. 6
_____________________________________________________________________________

    A weekly publication of the Center for the Study of Language and
Information (CSLI), Ventura Hall, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305-4115
			     ____________

	  CSLI ACTIVITIES FOR THIS THURSDAY, 26 OCTOBER 1989

12:00 noon		TINLunch
      Cordura 100	Elephant 2000: A Programming Language Based on
			Speech Acts
			John McCarthy
			(jmc@sail.stanford.edu)
			Abstract in last week's Calendar
			
 2:15 p.m.		CSLI Seminar
      Cordura 100	Models of Rational Agency 5
			Michael Bratman, Martha Pollack, Stan Rosenschein
			(bratman@csli.stanford.edu, 
			pollack@warbucks.ai.sri.com, stan@teleos.com)
			Abstract below
			     ____________

	  CSLI ACTIVITIES FOR NEXT THURSDAY, 2 NOVEMBER 1989

12:00 noon		TINLunch
      Cordura 100	Studies of Notation in Use
			Elin Roenby Pedersen
			Department of Computer and Systems Sciences
			Copenhagen School of Business and Administration
			(elin@csli.stanford.edu)
			Abstract in next week's Calendar

 2:15 p.m.		CSLI Seminar
      Cordura 100	Models of Rational Agency 6
			Michael Bratman, Martha Pollack, Stan Rosenschein
			(bratman@csli.stanford.edu, 
			pollack@warbucks.ai.sri.com, stan@teleos.com)
			Speaker: Yoav Shoham 
			(shoham@score.stanford.edu)
			Abstract below
			     ____________

		       THIS WEEK'S CSLI SEMINAR
		     Models of Rational Agency 5
     Michael Bratman, Martha Pollack (speaker), Stan Rosenschein

We will discuss research in progress aimed at extending the planning
model of rationality that we described in earlier meetings.  There are
three areas we will focus on: (1) an effort to construct a rational
agent that embodies the planning model of rationality, and to use that
agent to test alternative design strategies; (2) an account of an
additional constraint on practical reasoning that is provided by an
agent's plans; and (3) the role of the planning model of rationality
in a theory of plan recognition.
			     _____________

			 NEXT WEEK'S SEMINAR
		     Models of Rational Agency 6
	  Michael Bratman, Martha Pollack, Stan Rosenschein
			Yoav Shoham (speaker)

We will discuss our work on a computational framework called
Agent-Oriented Programming (AOP).

As a programming paradigm, AOP can be viewed as an extension of
Object-Oriented Programming (OOP).  It extends OOP by having modules
not only communicate with one another, but also possess knowledge and
beliefs, desires and goals, and possibly other notions.

As a logical theory, it extends standard epistemic logics.  Beside
temporalizing the K (knowledge) and B (belief) operators, it
introduces operators for desires (D) and goals (G).

In either case the intuition about these mentalistic-sounding notions
is guided by intuition about the commonsense, everyday concepts,
though the actual formal definitions come nowhere close to capturing
the full linguistic meanings.  And from both perspectives, AOP
requires thinking about the interaction between the different
intensional concepts, which in turn seems to require discussion of (a
version of) rationality.
			     ____________

	      HISTORY OF SCIENCE AND PHILOSOPHY LECTURE
			      Boscovich
			      Ivan Supek
		Yugoslav Academy of Arts and Sciences
		 Thursday, 26 October, 4:10, 200-305

No abstract available.
			     ____________

			SYMBOLIC SYSTEMS FORUM
		   The SSP Internship Program 1989
	  Symbolic Systems Program Summer Interns (speakers)
		   Friday, 27 October, 3:15, 60:61G
    
Last summer, approximately sixteen Symbolic Systems majors had
internships at and around Stanford.  A number of these interns will
give short presentations describing their projects.  The talks will
outline what the interns accomplished and what they learned during
the summer.  Possibilities for future internship projects will be
discussed, so anyone with an interest in internships next summer
should plan to attend.  Refreshments will be served.
         
The following interns will be speaking:
         
   Mike Frank and Mike Stern, The PROSIT Programming Language;
   Laura Wasylenki, Comparison of Learning Algorithms;
   Al Sargent, Finite State Machine Library;
   Mike Lenz and Chris Phoenix, Hyperproof Development Project;
   John Wesseling and Chris Weyand, The Development of Chomsky's World;
   Mark Torrance, Actnet Robot Programming Language.
			     ____________

		 DEPARTMENT OF PHILOSOPHY COLLOQUIUM
		      Jointly Intentional Action
			   Michael Bratman
		     (bratman@csli.stanford.edu)
		   Friday, 27 October, 3:15, 90-91A

No abstract available.
			     ____________

		 DEPARTMENT OF LINGUISTICS COLLOQUIUM
	      Syntactic Constraints on Anaphoric Binding
		       (Dissertation Proposal)
			    Mary Dalrymple
		      (maryd@csli.stanford.edu)
		Friday, 27 October, 3:30, Cordura 100

Dalrymple will discuss constraints on binding of anaphors (reflexives,
reciprocals, and pronouns) and present a method for characterizing
those constraints within the theory of LFG.  First, she will discuss a
range of attested syntactic binding constraints.  These constraints
are of two general types: constraints on possible/impermissible
grammatical functions of the antecedent of the anaphor, and
constraints on possible/impermissible syntactic domains in which the
anaphor and its antecedent may be found.  Second, interactions among
these constraints will be discussed; we will see that there is a sense
in which antecedent requirements depend on domain requirements, but
not the reverse.  For example, both negative and positive constraints
on the grammatical function of an anaphor hold only in the domain in
which the anaphor and its antecedent must be found.  Finally, a
formalization of these constraints will be presented, using so-called
inside-out functional uncertainty.  (Refreshments following.)
			     ____________

	    COMMONSENSE AND NONMONOTONIC REASONING SEMINAR
		  Formalizing Commonsense Knowledge
			    John McCarthy
		       (jmc@sail.stanford.edu)
	  Monday, 30 October, 3:15, Margaret Jacks Hall 252

This will be the second in our series of introductory lectures on
commonsense and nonmonotonic reasoning.
			     ____________

			    STASS SEMINAR
			     David Israel
		      (israel@csli.stanford.edu)
		Tuesday, 31 October, 3:15, Cordura 100

More on branch points in situation theory.  Discussion led by David
Israel.
			     ____________

			   SYNTAX WORKSHOP
	 Anaphors in English and the Scope of Binding Theory
			       Ivan Sag
		       (sag@csli.stanford.edu)
	     Tuesday, 31 October, 7:30 P.M., Cordura 100

The Syntax Workshop makes its biweekly comeback this fall.  At the
moment, meetings are scheduled on Tuesday evenings, at CSLI.  The idea
of the workshop is to provide a forum in which anyone can talk, at
whatever level of informality, about their work related in any sense
whatsoever to syntax.

An abstract for Sag's talk will be announced.